Green branding as a tool and future potential for destination marketing: Implications from a case study in Veszpr em, Hungary
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
DOI: 10.1556/204.2021.00010
Green branding as a tool and future potential for
destination marketing: Implications from a case
study in Veszprem, Hungary
}
KATALIN LORINCZ 1
, EVA KRUPPA-JAKAB1, RENATA 1 and
SZABO
JANOS 2p
CSAPO
1
Department of Tourism, University of Pannonia, Veszprem, Hungary
2
Institute of Marketing and Tourism, University of Pecs, Pecs, Hungary
Received: January 11, 2021 • Revised manuscript received: April 30, 2021 • Accepted: May 20, 2021
Published online: July 9, 2021
© 2021 The Author(s)
ABSTRACT
In recent years, the city of Veszprem was able to obtain several significant achievements concerning its
green branding: it was awarded the “Hungary in Bloom” and the “Climate Star” titles together with the
“Gold” prize of the Entente Florale Europe award and the special “President’s Award for the Restoration of
a Public Open Space”. This case study examines the impact and results of the preparation work and
participation in national and an international green branding contests on destination marketing and city
image through the analysis of the literature and structured interviews with the theme specialists of the
contests. The implications of the research, based on the result of displaying the future vision of Veszprem,
offer best practice advice for communities that are considering using green branding tools such as entering
a horticultural contest. The results of the research confirm that a potential winning entry, apart from
having an attractive cityscape, needs to meet the more novel assessment criteria of these contests as well,
i.e. the development of family friendly and accessible infrastructure, multilingual tourist information
and digital accessibility.
KEYWORDS
green branding, horticultural contest, Veszprem, city marketing, green cities
JEL-CODES
M31, L83
p
Corresponding-author. E-mail: csapo.janos@ktk.pte.hu
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC
254 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
1. INTRODUCTION
Globalisation results in a strong competition among cities, predominantly in terms of investors,
positive media attention, and attracting talented young people, innovative companies and the
creative industry. At the millennium, during the creative process of city branding, the
increasingly popular slogan “green city” has lost more and more of its meaning as now almost
every city wishes to consider itself “green” (Parker – Zingonide Baro 2019; Moreno 2020).
Nevertheless, the mere use of the word “green” is not enough in the case of city marketing, the
creation of a well-considered long term strategy is also required, one that reflects commitment,
innovative, quality-centred thinking, with appropriate internal and external networking; pre-
ceded by benchmarking (Hall – Dickson 2011; Kavaratzis 2007). It is essential that such strategy
should unite the work of landscape architects with marketing experts, communicating that the
handling of green heritage is of great importance towards both the local population and tourists
(Anderberg – Clark 2013; Konijnendijk 2010).
In 2017, the year of the silver jubilee of the Hungary in Bloom Horticultural Contest,
Veszprem was awarded the first prize from more than 300 contestants. After the domestic
victory, the “city of queens” decided to enter the 2018 international Entente Florale Europe
(hereafter: EFE) contest. Veszprem, also awarded the title “Climate Star”, was visited by the
members of the international jury who were greeted by experts in tourism, urban planning and
environmental protection with various themes at several stations. Apart from environmental
protection and education on environmental awareness, the themes of cultural heritage, tourism
and leisure activities were assessed by the international jury. In the September 2018 awards
ceremony, held in Ireland, Veszprem was awarded the Entente Florale Europe Gold prize and
the special “President’s Award for the Restoration of a Public Open Space”.
Several cities compete for various prestigious (international) green awards to prove their
commitment to the improvement of the standard of living and to environmental beautification
(Checker 2011; Connolly 2018). One such initiative is the award “European Green Capital”,
presented by the European Commission. According to the rules of the competition, any city with
a population over 100,000 may be the green capital, furthermore, smaller cities with populations
over 20,000 can enter a competition category called “European Green Leaf”. Applicants must
perform in twelve categories which are evaluated in four application stages and the award is
granted by an international jury supported by a panel of experts. The main criteria include
environmental issues that greatly affect the everyday quality of life such as waste management,
local transport, air quality, the level of noise pollution, eco-innovations and their generated jobs,
and green urban areas (European Commission 2021).
The EFE is administered by the European Association for Flowers and Landscape (AEFP).
For three decades it has drawn attention to the importance of urban greening which is a crucial
element of improving the quality of life in the participating communities. Important aims of the
competition are participation on a community level and increasing the commitment of the
residents. A further benefit of this initiative is that a greener environment, improved city
branding and the prestigious international status of the competition stimulate tourism (AEFP
2021).
These titles and awards drew attention to the importance of urban greening and developing
green spaces in cities, representing a crucial improvement in the standard of living of the
participating communities. Importantly, such contests aim to encourage community participation
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 255
and the commitment of the population. The initiatives indirectly contribute to the development
of communication channels, the exchange of expertise and information flow on a European
level, and to the development of long term partnerships. A greener environment, the improvement
of the city image, and the significant international prestige of the contest promote a potential
in the field of destination marketing which may contribute to the enhancement of tourism.
Based on the considerations mentioned above, the aims and objectives of this case study are
to examine and analyse the impact of the preparation work and participation in the afore-
mentioned domestic and international green branding contests on destination marketing and
city image through the analysis of the literature and structured interviews with the theme
specialists of the contest in Veszprem. For this purpose the following research questions have
been identified:
RQ1: How do these awards influence the destination marketing of Veszprem?
RQ2: What kind of impact and influence does the contest’s preparation process (increasing
green spaces, developing greenway infrastructure, planting flowers, trees, etc.) have on
destination marketing in Veszprem?
RQ3: How can we generalize the best practices and experiences of Veszprem related to
branding?
RQ4: How can the stakeholders share the knowledge and make it usable for settlements,
considering the participation in the Entente Florale Europe competition?
The novelty of this research is based on the recognition that no such complex city devel-
opment and green branding initiatives have been promoted in Hungary and consequently no
such comprehensive analysis have been earlier provided in the Hungarian context. Thus, the
authors believe that the analysis of the results of green branding in Veszprem will provide a case
study-based good practice for other Hungarian and similar Central-European cities where
tourism development is planned to be implemented through sustainable and responsible aspects
and methods such as green branding. So, on the one hand, the results display the future vision
and city development of Veszprem and on the other hand offer best practice advice for com-
munities that are considering entering such green branding-type contests.
2. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
2.1. City marketing, destination marketing, branding, green cities
The theory of city marketing and destination marketing starts out with the definitions of place.
As Jones and Olins (2006) describe a “place is a location with a meaning”. The authors further
state that in order to add meaning to a location you have to add associations, ideas, history and a
sense of identity and image. Turning from places to cities, according to Boisen (2007), city image
aids cities in the competition for business/economic agents, inhabitants, visitors, talent, or
gaining attention in the globalised world. In the interpretation of Florida (2008), cities compete
for three key economic factors: talent, innovation, and creativity.
City marketing emphasizes green spaces and their development, addressing external (e.g.
tourists) (external branding) and internal (local) agents (internal marketing). In modern cities,
creating a committed population is highly important (Kotkin 2005). Branding helps with
networking, as it helps involve new service users, new ethnic groups and children (Terkenli et al.
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC256 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
2020). With these segments and with the existing “clients”, it is worth building a long term
relationship. This is what the so-called lovemarks (Roberts 2004) are based on. Green spaces can
be associated with various emotions, special and sometimes mysterious experiences, and sym-
bolic values (Hofmeister – Simanyi 2006). The success of the tourism industry can be
demonstrated by the touristic target areas (destinations), where as a result of the work of tourism
stakeholders – while promoting sustainability – the quality of life of the local population im-
proves as well (Strømmen-Bakhtiar – Vinogradov 2019). In another approach, the recipient area
of tourism is a scene of an activity that embodies the efficient functioning of the market
(Michalk o 2012), which translates as the given region’s promise of experiences in the consumer’s
thinking.
A traditional approach to destination marketing concentrates on encouraging visits and in-
terprets tourism as a commodity or service (Mikulic et al. 2016). On the other hand, destination
marketing in a modern interpretation, based on sustainability, considers the specific needs and
limitations of the recipient areas (bearing capacity), and their geographical, environmental and
sociocultural features (Chi 2012; L} orincz 2017). Destination marketing activities can be inter-
preted and grouped on different levels (national, regional, local): within this, the local (municipal)
level has the prominent responsibility of product development, attraction development, attitude
formation, promotion and image building (Boo et al. 2009). Destination marketing can be
categorized into community-type marketing activities (Piskoti 2012), which, on the one hand, is a
key component of regional and municipal marketing, and on the other hand, is a significant part
of destination management, most preferred by tourism suppliers (Ashton 2014).
2.2. The relationship between city image and green spaces
Cities attract people if they offer a high standard of living (quality of life) and a quality work
environment (workplace) (Davidson 2012). While throughout history, the elite possessed green
spaces created primarily for entertainment purposes, nowadays newly created parks and green
spaces predominantly increase the prestige of cities, and represent appeal (Haase et al. 2017;
Gulsrud et al. 2013). Since the growth of power of local governments from the 19th century, the
role of green spaces has also appeared in city branding. The green branding of cities is a
complex activity as nowadays it focuses not only on the green spaces of the municipality,
but also on environmental awareness and its fundamental questions (such as fighting
climate change, becoming a zero-carbon city, energy efficiency) (Hofmeister-Toth et al. 2011).
However, planting trees and developing and increasing green spaces remains a cornerstone
(Lang – Rothenberg 2017).
Several cities, such as New York (Central Park), Kuala Lumpur (Lake Garden), or London
(Royal Gardens), apply their unique urban gardens, forests, and parks in their tourism mar-
keting strategies, making the city more competitive and attractive. Such initiatives attract so
many tourists that they have their own destination brand that is displayed on city brochures,
websites and local signboards. Forests and nature reserves near cities may become even more
unique if they receive a special status, such as in Stockholm Djurgarden Park is now part of the
first National City Park of Sweden (Konijnendijk 2008). City forests and natural urban areas in
Vienna and Warsaw have been granted national park status as well. These green parks and areas
are highly important for the local population as they provide a nearby recreational environment.
For the local population, visitors and enterprises, “green” represents something positive and
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 257
high quality, and so urban green spaces are highly regarded. Parks and green spaces also provide
community spaces for residential groups.
2.3. Green branding
Greener city branding from the point of view of local governments has become a recent trend.
As Barthold states “the call for cities and local governments to become ‘sustainability leaders’ or
“climate champions” has resonated widely across multiple scales of governance and in both
the private and public sectors” (Barthold 2018:25). Additionally, sustainability issues – from
economic, social or environmental perspectives – also have been integrated into the branding
and marketing strategies of cities.
As a result of these processes, the concept of green branding has recently been recognized as
an important strategy for improving city governance, liveability and competitiveness.
Konijnendijk (2010) refers to widely visible and accessible public parks, trees, and landscapes as
the elements or major contributors of green city branding. Another aspect of the research on
green branding is that urban green resources, such as the provision and characteristics of
ecological assets (parks, green spaces, natural landscape) can be seen differently from the
perspective of the residents and the tourists (Wang 2019). Furthermore, urban green resources
strengthen local identity (Matsuoka – Kaplan 2008), develop a society that balances with nature
(Register, 2006), offer opportunities for destination marketing, and create an attractive brand
that appeals to various types of visitors and users (Braiterman 2011).
As one of the most inspiring contributions to the research of green branding, the study of
Chan et al. (2018) should be highlighted, where the authors introduced the application of the
Green Brand Hexagon (GBH) which measures multidimensional attributes of a green resource
brand, with which the green brand attributes of a city can be tested. In this approach, green
potential is measured by such indicators as green status, green space, green pulse, green citi-
zenship and green prerequisites (Chan et al. 2018; Chan – Marafa 2017).
3. DATA AND METHODOLOGY
The authors chose the single-case study research methodology, since this approach can provide
a basis for in-depth explanation (Yin 2009). The article’s case study on Veszprem focuses on
green branding at the destination level and highlights adequate directions towards urban sus-
tainable cities.
During the primary research, in spring 2019, structured interviews were made with the six
major theme specialists of Veszprem on Hungary in Bloom and EFE, and with the national
coordinator involved in the jury’s work. During the course of the interviews, we asked the
organisers and assessors for their views on the effects of the two awards on the local population
and on destination marketing. The questions covered the following areas:
the qualification, professional profile and experience of the interviewee;
the motivation of the interviewee to be involved with the EFE competition;
the specific tasks and fields of responsibility during the course of the competition;
conclusions on the significance and the benefits of EFE from the point of view of destination
marketing and local/community participation;
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC258 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
the impact of winning the gold award on city image, destination marketing and on the local
community;
sharing recommendations regarding development, best practice, and the communication of
the contest.
The interviewees were also responsible for some of the professional categories of the
competition, and their jobs were linked to the concepts of urban marketing and green branding.
The following persons were included in the survey: two employees of the Veszprem Public
Utility Service Provider Ltd. (the Office Manager and the Leader of the Parkcare Team), two
leaders from the Local Government (Chief of Staff and the Head of Urban Development Office)
and the Managers of the Local and Regional Tourism Ltd. The interview questionnaire was sent
to the professionals in advance in electronic format. After that, the structured interviews were
made by phone calls lasting 45–60 minutes.
4. RESULTS
4.1. Introduction to the case study area
Veszprem, the City of Queens, is situated at the meeting point of Bakony Hills and the Balaton
Uplands, 110 km southwest of Budapest, and 15 km north of Lake Balaton. Its advantageous
location, easy access, diverse geographical features, and values due to the city’s rich history and
vibrant intellectual and cultural character make it a popular tourist destination. Built on seven
hills, it is also called “the Rome of Transdanubia”, which in 2023 – together with the Balaton
region – will hold the title of European Capital of Culture (Kantor – L}orincz 2020).
The city, with a population of nearly 60,000, has been part of the Balaton accentuated
tourism development area since 2017. Both residents and visitors enjoy the proximity of the
largest sweet water lake of Central Europe and the available leisure activities offered by the lake
and the towns along the shore. The hiking and educational trails of the forests of the Bakony
Hills and the sites of the Balaton Uplands National Park can also be easily linked with sight-
seeing in Veszprem. Veszprem primarily concentrates on cultural tourism within the urban area,
but, thanks to its developed economy, the presence and contribution of business tourism is also
significant (L} orincz – Raffay 2019).
4.2. The description of the Hungary in Bloom Horticultural Contest
The horticultural movement and contest of Hungary in Bloom is the Hungarian representative
of Entente Florale Europe. Since 1994, the movement has become one of the most significant
competitions with some 300 Hungarian communities joining annually, mobilizing about three
million people. One of the aims of the initiative is creating an attractive country image,
encouraging the cooperation of the locals, this way contributing to an increased number of
visitors, and indirectly improving the sense of wellbeing of both domestic and foreign tourists,
while strengthening the touristic country image (Hungarian Tourism Agency 2019b).
The movement of Hungary in Bloom is dedicated to environmental protection, promoting
environmental awareness and the environmental education of young people. For the movement
it is especially important that it promotes the creation of new green spaces, parks, boulevards,
and the renewal and the development of existing ones. The care and maintenance of parks and
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 259
Fig. 1. The logo of Hungary in Bloom
green spaces is at least as important as their creation, therefore in the greening of public spaces,
streets, buildings, and institutions, local authorities count on the active cooperation of local
communities as well (Anguelovski et al. 2018).
The financial, legal and organisational backbone of the project is ensured by the Hungarian
Tourism Agency (HTA). In 2017 the HTA reconstructed its environmental beautification and
communication strategy and visual features (Fig. 1). The HTA also introduced a new logo and
design with the use of its own social media platforms (Facebook and Instagram), furthermore, it
strengthened its communication towards the wider public by requesting a household name to be
the patron. One of the key aspects of the renewal of the project was to involve as many cities,
towns and villages in the competition as possible, to make participation in the movement more
popular, and to promote the participation of the highest possible number of the communities of
tourist destinations (Hungarian Tourism Agency 2019a).
There are two ways to sign up for the contest, considering the size of the city, town or village.
The technical evaluation is completed by the expert jury of the Hungary in Bloom Horticultural
Contest (where one can find nationally recognised horticulturists, landscape architects, urban
planners, environmental specialists, and tourism experts), in accordance with the predefined
weighted scoring system. The following criteria are considered during the course of the
competition (Viragos Magyarorszag 2021):
the quality of the green spaces of the settlement;
environmental protection, sustainability, environmental education;
community participation in the creation of the green spaces of the settlement;
the destination’s appeal, creating a tourist friendly environment;
the expertise and participation of the local government
4.3. Entente Florale Europe (EFE), and the preparation process
Primarily, the first prize winners of the Hungary in Bloom contest enter the competition of the
EFE. The international jury spends only one day in the settlement (in the case of Veszprem the
judging tour took place on 29 June 2018), but the visit is preceded by a structured preparation
lasting several months. During the course of the preparation in Veszprem, the city created an
English language portfolio where the city is introduced based on the criteria determined by
the jury (ten topics). The “road book”, used on the judging day, marks the most important
and most prominent messages of the sites, drawing attention to the highlighted features of
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC260 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
Fig. 2. The logo of Veszprem in the competition Veszprem MegyeiVaros 2018
each. The jury’s visit on the sites is assisted by experts specialising in the themes (theme
specialists).
The following themes are presented on the sites:
the method and quality of communication towards locals and tourists;
planning policies (themes of built environment, tourism and leisure);
the relationship between the city and the surrounding landscape, the way urban facilities/
institutions fit in the surrounding landscape;
cultivating environmental awareness, environmental protection, community participation;
the quality and condition of urban green spaces.
Veszprem also created a logo specifically designed for the EFE contest (Fig. 2).
4.4. The green titles and projects of Veszprem
To put the social and economic consequences of the project in context, it is important to briefly
present what the destination offers, and review the steps towards the “green city” and the “green
brand”. Since 2002, Climate Alliance has rewarded excellent municipal and regional network
projects with the Climate Star award. The award is to acknowledge the initiatives and results of
European cities, municipalities and regions in the fields of sustainable energy, mobility, con-
sumption, urban and regional development, and the involvement of residents (Alliance 2018). In
Hungary, the Climate Star - Locally for Climate Protection award was first announced in 2011
with eleven Hungarian municipalities competing for the title. From these, the jury awarded the
works of M
orahalom, Ujszilv
as and Veszprem. The Hungarian Climate Protection Alliance,
which announced the application, supported the participation of all applicants in the following
year’s European contest. The award winning application of Veszprem consisted the following
three parts:
the creation of the Municipal Energy Policy 2010–2025, with the involvement of the local
population via residents’ forums and a series of presentations;
to promote the sustainability of transport and energy use, the creation of cycleways, the
enlargement of green spaces, planting trees, and the installation of street lighting, further-
more;
the introduction of the project Cloisters and Gardens (the renovation of 10 ha of green space,
the clearing of a 2.3 km long stream bed, the construction of 3 playgrounds, the recon-
struction of 3 listed buildings) (Hungarian Climate Protection Alliance 2011).
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 261
Since the Climate Star award was granted (2012), the cycleway has already been extended
from the city centre to the southern industrial estate, a cycle route connecting Veszprem and
Nemesvamos has been built, and now the growing cycle network also includes a route linking
the city centre with the railway station.
Veszprem entered the horticultural contest Hungary in Bloom in 2017 and the Entente
Florale Europe in 2018, which is in accordance with the Energy Policy of Veszprem City of
County Rank (2010–2025). One of its most important aims is that by 2026 the city should
reduce its carbon-dioxide emission by 25% and will aim to reach partial energy independence
(e.g. 25% of the city’s energy supply will be sustainable). The extension of green spaces is among
the items listed in the areas of municipal intervention.
The highlighted targets determined in the policy include horizontal (H) and vertical (V) ones
– the following list identifies the items that best match the concept of environmental beautifi-
cation of Hungary in Bloom and the Entente Florale Europe:
H1: the development of environmental awareness and enforcing climate protection aspects in
urban planning, maintenance of urban infrastructure, and in related fields;
H3: organising urban society into a community and supporting environmentally conscious
communities;
V8: by 2026 the proportion of green space per capita has to reach 25 m2 within the
administrative boundaries of Veszprem, furthermore, the forested territory of the sur-
rounding area (10 km) has to reach 10%. Considering that green spaces are identified as key
performance indicators in the climate protection goals of the city, Veszprem wishes to treat
both segments as crucially important. Nevertheless, from the points of view of the locals and
tourism, green spaces are of prime importance. Commitments have therefore been made
regarding these spaces, and there are proposals for action plans.
4.5. Primary data analysis: Results from the experts’ interviews
The six main theme specialists interviewed were all experts of their field (economics, archi-
tecture, arts, tourism). It should be noted that all professionals cooperated in the project as part
of their job requirements upon the specific request by the council management, although half of
the interviewees were interested in the possibility of the participation in the international contest
due to personal motivations as well.
As shortly mentioned in the methodology chapter, the theme specialists of Veszprem rep-
resented several professional fields, adequately covering the given professions, such as:
application management (fine tuning the various fields, keeping contact with the council
management) and coordination (the organisation of the visit by the international jury);
the development of built environment and creating the landscape features (green spaces,
planting);
community involvement (environmental education, public service, green infrastructure);
marketing communication (portfolio, elaborating the 10 themes and the road book) and
tourism and leisure.
The respondents explained that during the course of the preparation for the contest, they
utilised their previous professional experience, especially their knowledge related to their job
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC262 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
requirements (management, communication, marketing, tourism, urban planning, urbanism).
Furthermore, their skills of handling multi-participant situations, such as management level
relationship networks, local knowledge, team work, cooperation, operational organisation skills,
language knowledge, and openness towards European cultures were highlighted.
The respondents judged the significance, benefits, and positive outcomes of the EFE
competition in different ways from the point of view of city image and destination marketing
(Fig. 3) The statements had to be evaluated on a five-point scale (1 5 not at all, 5 5 fully agree).
The theme specialists most positively evaluated the transferable skills gained by the professional
experience during the preparation (4.5), followed by the feedback from the international jury
(4.3), and the method and course of the preparation work for the international competition (4).
Overall, considering the city image, the impact of the gold award and the special prize on
domestic and foreign visitors was evaluated as poor (2). A higher grade (3.16) was given to the
importance of reinforcing a positive city image in respect of the local population.
According to the theme specialists, the gold award granted in the EFE competition primarily
won the appreciation of experts, therefore its impact on city image, destination marketing and
local communities is less measureable. It was emphasized that the international recognition was
predominantly known in the professional sphere, so the gold award is very highly regarded.
Consequently, Veszprem – following the advice of the jury – prepared and accepted the proposal
for a green space policy in 2019, the first of its kind in Hungary.
Tourism experts involved in the interviews agreed that the award has a brand building effect
both on a domestic and on an international level, as long as it is supplemented by appropriate
communication. In their view, the award proves the purposes of city marketing, as it conveys a
Transferable skills gained
through experience during the
preparation for the competition
4.5
The significance of the award in
terms of reinforcing a positive Feedback of the international
city image in respect of the local 3.16 4.3 jury's opinion
population
2
4
The impact of gold award and the
The method of preparation for an
special award on domestic and
international contest
international visitors
Source: authors.
Fig. 3. Judging the importance of the EFE competition from the point of view of city image and
destination marketing
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 263
positive message in both leisure tourism and conferences and business meetings. As a result of
the international award, the reason for pride is approved: “We have something to talk about,
there are results, the city performed excellently, the local government and the private sector was
able to join forces.” Still, the logo of the award is not used on the official tourism website or
brochures, which is explained by the fact that in the same year (2018) the “more powerful and
better known” title of European Capital of Culture (ECOC) 2023 was awarded to Veszprem as
well.
Some of the theme specialists commented that the title “Flowery City” is a bit outdated and is
a “vintage” term, not equally promoted by all participants. Displaying too many awards can be
confusing and does not catch the tourist’s attention.
Two of the theme specialists highlighted the importance of inner PR: the role taken by the
local government of Veszprem towards the town’s residents is exemplary. The city assumed a
leading role in (environmental) education and changing attitudes, strengthening and developing
the questions of awareness and sustainability in the population. The local population is
conscious about the maintenance of public spaces, and there is a general improvement in this
field, which ultimately affects the city image, valued by tourism (destination marketing).
During the course of the structured interviewing, the authors asked the national coordinator
of the jury as well. The national coordinator evaluated the method of preparation in Veszprem
as good (marked it 4 on a five-point scale). In her opinion the last stage of the preparation was
characterised by thematic consultations with too many participants (such as new actors turning
up occasionally) resulting in the repetition of previously agreed details. Considering the
competition, another problem that created difficulties was that some participants (theme spe-
cialists) were first seen only on the judging day.
She described the marketing communication as “very successful”, and this aspect was also
realistically assessed by the jury. Her view is that “[. . .] the essence of the message was suc-
cessfully communicated, Veszprem received a lot of useful advice it can develop in the near
future. One such result is that the city will prepare its own green policy that determines the
directions of urban planning for the next 10 years.”
According to the jury, the choice of communication tools applied during the course of the
promotion of the programme was exemplary: such as the mayor’s video message, the photo wall,
the slogan, the selfie-taking game, the stickers, the tagging, and the video recording by drone –
the city applied and channelled the potential offered by modern technology in an outstanding
manner. The excellent marketing material was also highlighted, which brought the attention to
other settlements as well, currently starting to take part in the contest. The coordinator high-
lighted the exemplary project Cloisters and Gardens, which displays how a green space devel-
opment managed by a local authority can have a positive impact on the wellbeing of a whole
district and the residents living nearby. Furthermore, two actual programmes were highlighted
as best practices and praised by the international jury:
1. The “Sustainability Day”, organised in May by the Veszprem Public Utility Company
(Veszpremi K€
oz€uzemi Szolgaltat
o 2019), that brings the topic closer to residents in the form
of a multigenerational festival;
2. The Wildflowery Veszprem programme (RþD), an excellent example of creating sustainable
green spaces. The Wildflowery Veszprem is aimed at the founding of a sustainable and
climate-conscious lawn management practice resulting in the increased efficiency of
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC264 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
maintenance, growth of urban biodiversity, and the character change of urban green spaces.
An important element of the initiative is the involvement of the local population and their
sensitization to the issues of urban nature conservation.
According to the coordinator, the preparation phase also brought about a team-building
effect and expressed that prestigious international awards – acting as “bonus points” – certainly
contributed to the victory of the European Capital of Culture as well. She emphasized that as a
member of the jury, she positively evaluated the attitude of the local population of Veszprem: the
city took the preparation seriously, the team worked in a dedicated and efficient manner: overall,
it lived up to the expectations of this unusual contest.
As for the impact of Hungary in Bloom and the Entente Florale Europe award on destination
marketing and city image, she gave a neutral response, stating that as someone living outside
Veszprem, she is unable to judge its consequences. Her view is that this is a longer-term and
more complex process. On the one hand, attractive walks in green spaces (such as events like
Varosom, Veszprem; Veszprem, my City) are increasingly popular among the local population
and the tourists, and on the other hand, the green policy currently under preparation contains
elements that are aimed to promote a positive city image and match the tourism supply as well.
5. MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF PREPARATION AND COMMUNICATION
Based on the theme specialists’ responses, regarding the preparatory process for the interna-
tional contest EFE, the authors propose the following recommendations.
The personality of the main coordinator, and their selection is of crucial importance: the
decision about the specific person, who can make a final judgment, should be made based on
confidence, consistency, and decisiveness. The human factor and the clarification of the specific
field of responsibility of the colleagues (persons) and the tasks and the areas of decision making
is inevitable. This can reduce the number of overlaps, misunderstandings, shortcomings in case
of a project that has multiple factors. Efficiency could be increased with fewer participants but
with more personal responsibility.
Recruiting volunteers from the locals is of great importance, such as certain local groups and
NGOs, and ensuring their better involvement in the landscaping process in terms of getting
information about the specific localities and built environment.
The theme specialists expressed several suggestions for development as to how the contest is
communicated to the locals (community initiatives, sharing flower seeds, online marketing).
They agreed that it is important to ensure more time available for the preparation which is to be
started at least one year before the competition. The local press – on which the local government
has direct influence – may have a much greater role in communication (Veszprem TV, Radio
Mez, the local government’s website, Veszpremi 7 Nap local weekly newspaper). In addition to
the media, the use and role of major events and festivals (Rose, Riesling & Jazz Days, Street
Music Festival, VeszpremFest) is also a possible solution. One specific example was the
organised flower seed distribution for citizens and tourists during the Spring Season-Opening
Event “Tavaszi Tekerg} o”, however, this opportunity was almost exclusively communicated by
Tourinform Veszprem, the local tourist information centre.
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 265
Regarding the competition, communication requires a structured pre-determined marketing
strategy focused on local media and the local population. From this point of view the
communication handbook (which recorded the communication activities since the title Hungary
in Bloom was obtained), required by the EFE, is not efficient enough. The recommendations
related to outward communication (media, locals, tourists) included the development of a
mobile phone application (after the competition this would facilitate community events such as
a guided tour in the rose garden led by the chief horticulturist) and the creation and emphasis on
background information and additional content (environmental culture, synergies related to
culture).
Communication following up the winning of the international award did not get attention.
According to some respondents, this is due to the lack of a designated colleague, leaving the gold
award without significant impact in local or nationwide media. One of the theme specialists
added that despite the mistakes, the jury evaluated communication with very positive feedback.
As for demonstrating “best practice”, the theme specialists highlighted the following key
questions in terms of a successful application and management:
It is of vital importance to designate a leader who is not a theme specialist, but is linked to the
local government or is an external colleague (from a company), and works flexibly.
The amount of time spent was also considered important: the preparation stage needs to start
in due time, about one year in advance, including the delegation of tasks (appointing the
“conductor” and the appropriate experts).
The rules of cooperation must be straightforward and determined in a serious manner,
requiring all stakeholders to comply and respect each other.
Follow-up communication should not to be neglected. The preparation work achieved by
meaningful collaboration from the part of the city cannot be simply closed by an awards
ceremony and a single press conference about the award. The impact of the competition is
long-term and it needs to be consistently communicated to the local population that the
reason the city participated in the contest is primarily for their sake, for the beautification of
their environment and the improvement of their quality of life.
The preparation for the contest gave an opportunity to get to know one another and promote
teamwork. Basically, the institutions of the local government operate within the context of a
formalised framework, however, during the preparation process “interpersonal relationships”
were close-knit and a working community developed. For instance, currently, synergies are more
widely used in Facebook communication as well – they recommend one another and think
about one another: it had the power to build a community, and the slogan that motivated
everyone came true: ‘We participated - we won.’
6. CONCLUSIONS
The international jury noted that – thanks to careful urban planning– the architectural heritage,
the buildings of Veszprem are in a good condition, and street furniture and the well-kept
parks look harmonious. The findings of the research support the statement of the jury according
to which the city not only has an attractive image but the new criteria of the competition,
such as family-friendly and accessible infrastructure development, multilingual tourist
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC266 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
information, and digital availability (website, application), all influence tourists’ satisfaction
about the destination.
Based on the findings, it can be concluded that experts in Veszprem consider the internal PR
(place marketing), the education of environmental awareness, the attitude formation, and the
steps towards sustainable urban planning, as outstandingly important. They highly valued the
transferable skills developed by the experience gained from the preparation to the contest, the
international jury’s feedback, and the method of the preparation work. Veszprem has only
partially used the prestigious European awards in its destination marketing activity, which re-
sults from the communication of a stronger brand, the European Capital of Culture 2023.
The authors believe that the “value” of the titles awarded is only as much as the local
community benefits from it, and uses it directly in the future. In the case of green/sustainable
cities, preparing for a single title (the road itself) can bring a new approach to renewing the
whole urban space, preparing a sustainability/green strategy, and strengthening cooperation and
networking. Ultimately, this is the basis for green branding.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This research has been supported by the European Union and Hungary and co-financed by the
European Social Fund through the project EFOP-3.6.2-16-2017-00017, titled “Sustainable,
intelligent and inclusive regional and city models”.
REFERENCES
AEFP (2021): European Association for Flowers and Landscape. http://www.entente-florale.eu/, accessed
27/05/2021.
Climate Alliance (2018): Awarding Successful Local Authorities in Climate Alliance. https://www.
climatealliance.org/downloads.html, accessed 27/05/2021.
Anderberg, S. – Clark, E (2013): Green and Sustainable Øresund Region: Eco-Branding Copenhagen and
Malm€o. In: Vojnovic, I (ed.): Urban Sustainability: A Global Perspective. Lansing, Mi: Michigan State
University Press.
Anguelovski, I. – Connolly, J. J. T. – Brand, A. L. (2018): From Landscapes of Utopia to the Margins of the
Green Urban Life: For Whom is the New Green City? City 22(3): 417–436. https://doi.org/10.1080/
13604813.2018.1473126.
Ashton, A. S. (2014): Tourist Destination Brand Image Development: An Analysis Based on Stakeholders’
Perception: A Case Study from Southland, New Zealand. Journal of Vacation Marketing 20(3):
279–292. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1356766713518061.
Barthold, S. (2018): Branding the Green City. In: M€ uller, S. M. – Mattissek, A. (eds): Green City:
Explorations and Visions of Urban Sustainability. RCC Perspectives: Transformations in Environment
and Society 1: 25–32. https://doi.org/10.5282/rcc/8463.
Boisen, M. (2007): The Role of City Marketing in Contemporary Urban Governance. http://bestplaceinstytut.
org/www/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Boisen-2007-City-marketing-in-Contemporary-Urban-
Governance.pdf, accessed 27/05/2021.
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 267
Boo, S. – Busser, J. – Baloglu, S. (2009): A Model of Customer-Based Brand Equity and Its Application to
Multiple Destinations. Tourism Management 30(2): 219–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2008.
06.003.
Braiterman, J. (2011): City Branding Through New Green Spaces. In: Dinnie, K. (Ed.), City Branding:
Theory and Cases. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke and New York, NY.
Chan, C.-S. – Marafa, L.M. (2017): How a Green City Brand Determines the Willingness to Stay in a City:
The Case of Hong Kong. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing 34(6): 719–731. https://doi.org/10.
1080/10548408.2016.1236768.
Chan, C.-S. – Marafa, L.M. – Konijnendijk Van Den Bosch, C.C. – Randrup, T.B. (2018): Starting
Conditions for the Green Branding of a City. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management 10: 10–
24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2018.05.006.
Checker, M. (2011): Wiped Out by the ‘Greenwave’: Environmental Gentrification and the Paradoxical
Politics of Urban Sustainability. City and Society 23(2): 210–229. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1548-744X.
2011.01063.x.
Chi, C. G.-Q. (2012): An Examination of Destination Loyalty: Differences Between First-time and Repeat
Visitors. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research 36(1): 3–24. https://doi.org/10.1177%
2F1096348010382235.
Connolly, J. J. T. (2018): From Jacobs to the Just City: Challenging the Green Planning Orthodoxy. Cities
91: 64–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2018.05.011.
Davidson, M. (2012): Sustainable City as Fantasy. Human Geography 5(2): 14–25. https://doi.org/10.1177/
194277861200500202.
European Commission (2021): European Green Capital https://ec.europa.eu/environment/european
greencapital/, accessed 27/05/2021.
Florida, R. (2008): In: Who’s Your City? How the Creative Economy is Making Where to Live the Most
Important Decision of Your Life. Basic Books, New York.
Gulsrud, N. M. – Gooding, S. – Konijnendijk van den Bosch, C.C. (2013): Green Space Branding in
Denmark in an Era of Neoliberal Governance. Urban Forestry and Urban Greening 12(3): 330–337.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2013.03.001.
Haase, D. – Kabisch, S. – Haase, A. (2017): Greening Cities – To Be Socially Inclusive? About the Alleged
Paradox of Society and Ecology in Cities. Habitat International 64: 41–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
habitatint.2017.04.005.
Hall, C. R. – Dickson, M.W. (2011): Economic, Environmental, and Health/Well-being Benefits Associated
with Green Industry Products and Services: A Review. Journal of Environmental Horticulture 29(2): 96–
103. https://doi.org/10.24266/0738-2898-29.2.96.
Hofmeister, A. – Simanyi, L. (2006): Cultural Values in Transition. Society and Economy 28(1): 41–59.
https://doi.org/10.1556/socec.28.2006.1.3.
Hofmeister-Toth, A. – Kelemen, K. – Piskoti, M. (2011): Environmentally Conscious Consumption Pat-
terns in Hungarian Households. Society and Economy 33(1): 51–68. https://doi.org/10.1556/socec.33.
2011.1.6.
Jones, R. – Olins, W. (2006): Where Is It At? In: New Things Happen – A guide to the future Thames
Gateway. CABE Space, London.
Kantor, S. – L}orincz, K. (2020): Kulturalis attrakciok es latnival
ok a Balaton kiemelt turisztikai tersegben
[Cultural Attractions and Sights in the Lake Balaton Accentuated Tourism Region]. Comitatus:
€
Onkorm anyzati Szemle 30(325): 57–63.
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTC268 Society and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269
Kavaratzis, M. (2007): City Marketing: The Past, the Present and Some Unresolved Issues. Geography
Compass (1): 695–712. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-8198.2007.00034.x.
Konijnendijk, C.C. (2008): The Forest and the City: The Cultural Landscape of Urban Woodland. Springer,
Berlin.
Konijnendijk, C. C. (2010): Green Cities, Competitive Cities – Promoting the Role of Green Space in City
Branding. 22nd IFPRA World Congress: Quality Services – Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Hong
Kong, China, November 15-18, 2010.
Kotkin, J. (2005): The City: A Global History. Random House Publishing Group.
Lang, S. – Rothenberg, J. (2017): Neoliberal Urbanism, Public Space, and the Greening of the Growth
Machine: New York City’s High Line Park. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space 49(8):
1743–1761.
L}
orincz, K. (2017): A turisztikai desztinaciok marketingtevekenysege [The Marketing Activities of Tourist
Destinations]. In: L}orincz, K. – Sulyok, J. (Eds.), Turizmusmarketing. Akademiai Kiad o, Budapest.
orincz, K. – Raffay, A.
L} (2019): Beyond, azaz t ullepni sajat magunkon – A turizmus szerepe a
Veszprem2023 Europai Kulturalis F}ovaros projektben [Beyond Ourselves – The Role of Tourism in the
Veszprem2023 European Capital of Culture project]. Turisztikai es Videkfejlesztesi Tanulmanyok 4(2):
18–38.
Magyar Turisztikai Ugyn€ € okseg – Floral Hungary Contest (2019a): Viragos Magyarorszag verseny [Floral
Hungary contest]. https://mtu.gov.hu/cikkek/vedjegyek-es-dijak, accessed 27/05/2021.
Magyar Turisztikai Ugyn€ € okseg – Hungarian Tourism Agency (2019b): A Viragos Magyarorszag verseny
nepszer} ubb, mint valaha [The Floral Hungary Contest is More Popular than Ever]. https://
viragosmagyarorszag.hu/hirek/a-viragos-magyarorszag-verseny-nepszer-bb-mint-valaha-992, accessed
27/05/2021.
Magyarorszagi Eghajlatv edelmi Sz€ovetseg – Hungarian Climate Protection Alliance (2011): M orahalom,
Ujszilvas es Veszprem telep€ ulesei nyertek el a KlımaSztar 2011 dıjat [The Municipalities of Morahalom,
Ujszilv as and Veszprem Won the ClimateStar 2011 Award]. http://www.eghajlatvedelmiszovetseg.hu/
index.php/klimasztar-2013/42-klimasztar2, accessed 27/05/2021.
Matsuoka, R. H. – Kaplan, R. (2008): People Needs in the Urban Landscape: Analysis of Landscape and
Urban Planning Contributions. Landscape and Urban Planning 84: 7–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
landurbplan.2007.09.009.
Michalko, G. (2012): Turizmologia [Tourismology]. Budapest: Akademiai Kiad o.
Mikulic, J. – Kresic, D. – Prebezac, D. – Milicevic, K. – Seric, M. (2016): Identifying Drivers of Destination
Attractiveness in a Competitive Environment: A Comparison of Approaches. Journal of Destination
Marketing & Management 5(2): 154–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.12.003.
Moreno, L. D. R. (2020): Sustainable City Storytelling: Cultural Heritage as a Resource for a Greener and
Fairer Urban Development. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development
10(4): 399–412. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCHMSD-05-2019-0043.
Parker, J. – Zingonide Baro, M. E. (2019): Green Infrastructure in the Urban Environment: A Systematic
Quantitative Review. Sustainability 11(11): 3182. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113182.
Piskoti, I. (2012): Regio- es telep€ulesmarketing [Regional and Settlement Marketing]. Akademiai Kiad o,
Budapest.
Register, R. (2006): Rebuilding Cities in Balance with Nature. New Society Publishers, Gabriola, BC.
Roberts, K. (2004): Lovemarks: The Future Beyond Brands. PowerHouse Books.
Strømmen-Bakhtiar, A. – Vinogradov, E. (2019): The Effects of Airbnb on Hotels in Norway. Society and
Economy 41(1): 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1556/204.2018.001.
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCSociety and Economy 43 (2021) 3, 253–269 269
Terkenli, T. S. – Bell, S. – Toskovic, O. – Dubljevic-Tomicevic, J. – Panagopoulos, T. – Straupe, I. –
Kristianova, K. – Straigyte, L. – O’Brien, L. – Zivojinovi c, I. (2020): Tourist Perceptions and Uses of
Urban Green Infrastructure: An Exploratory Cross-Cultural Investigation. Urban Forestry & Urban
Greening 49(2020): 126624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2020.126624.
Veszprem Megyei Jog u Varos (2011): Veszprem Megyei Jog u Varos energetikai strategiaja 2010-2025
[Energy Strategy 2010-2025 of the County Rank City of Veszprem]. https://www.veszprem.hu/
onkormanyzat/strategiak-programok-koncepciok/4495–energetikai-strategia-20102025, accessed 27/
05/2021.
Veszprem MegyeiVaros Jog u (2018): Veszprem felkesz€ ult az Entente Florale Europe versenyre [Veszprem
is Prepared for the Entente Florale Europe Contest]. https://www.veszprem.hu/hirek/kulturalis-hirek/
6366-veszprem-felkeszuelt-az-entente-florale-europe-koernyezetszepit-versenyre, accessed 27/05/2021.
Veszpremi K€oz€uzemi Szolgaltato Zrt. (2019): III. Fenntarthatosag mindenKOR [3rd Sustainability at All
Times]. https://www.vkszrt.hu/Blog/2019-05-16/III-Fenntarthatosag-mindenKOR, accessed 27/05/
2021.
Viragos Magyarorszag (2021): Entente Florale Europe. https://viragosmagyarorszag.hu/entente-florale-
europe, accessed 27/05/2021.
Wang, H.-J. (2019): Green City Branding: Perceptions of Multiple Stakeholders. Journal of Product &
Brand Management 28(3): 376–390. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-07-2018-1933.
Yin, R. K. (2009): Case Study Research: Design and Methods, Fourth Edition. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Open Access. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original author and source are credited, a link to the CC License is provided, and changes – if any – are
indicated. (SID_1)
Unauthenticated | Downloaded 12/27/21 10:36 AM UTCYou can also read
